Analysis of Ethical Factors in a Case Study

This paper analyses the ethical factors in a case study and discusses the importance of ethical code of conduct in the workplace. It also prioritizes the ethical and legal issues and suggests ways to resolve them.

Student Name
Student No.
Professional Issues Assignment Part 1
Due Date: time, dd/mm/yy
Lecturer: David Tuffley
Campus (NA, LG, GC):

Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Analysis 3
2.1. Legal factors.........................................................................................3
2.2. Professional factors...............................................................................3
2.3. Employment and Social factors............................................................3
2.4. Personal factors.....................................................................................3
2.5. Intrinsic factors.....................................................................................4
2.6. Prioritisation..........................................................................................5
2.7. Decision................................................................................................5
3. Discussion 7
4. Conclusion 7
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
1. Introduction
In this paper we are looking forward to analyse the ethical factors which takes place in
the given case study. The ethical code of conduct should be followed by the individual
in carrying out their working culture. It is the psychological and moral conduct of the
person to avoid violation, criticism, rumours, and chaos which in turn result in
developing good and healthy relationship with the other colleagues and business
partners (Allahbshi, 2013). The ethical values play an important role in setting moral
values and principles for the person to complete their given task with efficiency and
honesty. The analysis of the ethical issues helps in developing positive attitude in the
individual by gaining learning from the unethical experience. The ethical code of
conduct helps in developing right behaviour of the individual which should be
followed at the work place which focuses on developing healthy relationship at social
level. The acceptance of success and failure of life helps in increasing knowledge
domain and experience of the individual for developing effective moral principles for
developing creative thinking to comply with the hard times of the life. The ethical
code of conduct helps in managing self-management plan to cope up with the
different situation of life and emerging with effective solution in handling the
assigned task with effectiveness (Australian institute of training and development,
2014). The complexity of the real life problems can effectively solved with the
implication of ethical behaviour and principles. The examples from the case study
help in analysing the positive and the negative impact of the ethical and unethical
behaviour in different situation of life.
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
2. Analysis
The analysis was conducted on the flow of events which takes
place in the given case study. The case study is based on the life
structure of Bridget Donovan who faces problems in
completing her phases of life. She was an expertise in Cyber-
security system. The psychological and the moral behaviour of
the Bridget Donovan were affected due to the occurrence of
unethical factors in her life.
2.1. Legal factors
At the age of 14, Bridget Donovan was sent to imprisonment
due to unethical practices performed in the public place such as
drinking below the age of 18, drinking in the public places, and
doing theft. The ethical behaviour shown in the imprisonment
releases her early before her imprisonment term. The case was
kept confidential so as not to harm her reputation. The record of
the juvenile imprisonment can create rumours which can
adversely affect the life style of the Bridget Donovan. These are
the legal factors which are developed by the government in
relation to the ethical and the unethical behaviour followed by
the individual (Baines and Taylor, 2013). In the given situation,
the unethical behaviour shown by the Bridget Donovan sent her
jail due to the implication of legal obligations whereas good
behaviour in the imprisonment reduces her imprisonment time.
The positive outcome can be gained by showing ethical
behaviour in following rules and regulations of the government
to omit the legal obligations in completing the assigned tasks.
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
2.2. Professional factors
Bridget Donovan is working for Insurance Company as security
Expert. One of his colleagues spread rumours about his Juvenile
imprisonment which makes the Insurance Company threated
about their reputation. They asked her to resign or they will
terminate. She resigned from her job because she does not share
his past with them. She deny from her past of imprisonment
which shows the feeling of dishonesty towards the organization.
It was legally mentioned in the term and contracts with the
company that employees showing dishonesty in their work and
towards the organization can be terminated from their job. This
comes under professional factor not the legal factor because it
occurs when the employees shows unethical behaviour in their
working plan (Singh, 2015).
The organization should not terminate Bridget Donovan on the
basis of her past, the present working and her loyalty towards
the organization should be taken under consideration. This is
against the professional ethics. On the basis of rumours, the
employees should not be fired. The organization should collect
evidences and have a word with the victim before the direct
termination. Firing of the employees on the basis of rumours
and threats comes under the professional ethical factors.
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
2.3. Employment and Social factors
The Bridget Donovan had lost her job due to the unethical
behaviour shown by her colleague Jamie, in spreading rumours
about her past. The employees should show loyalty among
working partners so that they can build good and healthy
relationship at workplace and strong bonding which makes
them comfortable to share their grievances about the company.
It helps in minimizing conflicts, chaos, and distraction among
them. The loyalty among the team members is the social factors
(Leonard, 2018).
Bridget Donavan was not awarded with the communication
platform where she can present her past freely and the
complexities which she had faced in her life span. The
complexities of the working employees can be resolved with
the good communication platform where they have a right to
present their views and opinion. It helps in preventing rumours
which spread in the working culture of the organization
(Gilman, 2013). The organization has shown an unethical
behaviour without having words and communication with the
Bridget Donovan they have directly asked for resignation or
termination on the basis of rumour. Without having
communication allows the termination of the employees comes
under social ethics.
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
2.4. Personal factors
Rogers, who was a senior sales officer in the company wants to
change his relationship with Bridget Donovan from professional
to personal. This is because she was a good security expert and
can be beneficial for the organization to achieve long term
sustainability of the company. The emotions and personal
feeling of Bridget Donavan were used for professional
advantage is the personal factor. It is unethical to use the
feelings and emotions of the individual for gaining competitive
advantage in the professional word (Giorgini, Mecca. Gibson,
Medeiros, Mumford, Connelly, and Devenport, 2015).
2.5. Intrinsic factors
The Bridget Donovan was a good security expert on knowing
the big security hole in the organization she had not taken any
respective action and leave it on the department to tackle it with
their own. This shows that she is does not like to solve these
business problems intentionally. The steps which are taken
against of organization growth intentionally comes under the
category of intrinsic factors.
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
2.6. Prioritisation
Factor Related Issue
1 Legal factor Affects the personal image
and reputation of the
individual
2 Termination of the agreement (Professional
factors)
Dishonesty shown by the
Bridget in regards to not
telling her past before
joining with the company
3 Termination of Bridget On the basis of rumours.
On the basis of rumours,
the employees should not
be fired. The organization
should collect evidences
and have a word with the
victim before the direct
termination. Firing of the
employees on the basis of
rumours and threats comes
under the professional
ethical factors.
4 Spreading of rumours The rumours spread by the
fellow workers to harm the
personal image of the
individual. The employees
should show loyalty among
working partners so that
they can build good and
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
healthy relationship at
workplace and strong
bonding which makes them
comfortable to share their
grievances about the
company. It helps in
minimizing conflicts,
chaos, and distraction
among them.
5 Personal feelings and emotion The emotions and personal
feeling of Bridget Donavan
were used for professional
advantage is the personal
factor. It is unethical to use
the feelings and emotions
of the individual for
gaining competitive
advantage in the
professional word.
6 Conversion of professional relationship with
personal relationship
It is unethical during the
professional working hours
personal relationship and
communication should be
avoided
7 Intentionally not completing the assigned work The steps which are taken
against of organization
growth intentionally come
under the category of
intrinsic factors.
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
2.7. Decision
The analysis and prioritization of the ethical factors helps in taking ethical decision
for resolving the complexity. The weightage should be given to the ethical and
unethical practices which are performed at work place. The ACS code of conduct
should be followed for taking effective decision in rationalizing the problems and
issues which exist with the working culture of the enterprise (Tuffley, 2015). The
focus should be given on the professional and legal issues to be solved at top priority
because it can affect the productive working of the employees due to the feeling of
demotivation generated. The rumours should be avoided at top priority because it can
affect the employee image which can directly affect the mental and the psychological
state of them. The employees should be provided with an open forum of discussion
where they feel free to present their views and grievances on the company and other
employees. It helps in managing employee distraction and conflict easily. The training
and development program should be arranged for guiding the employees with the
ethical code of conduct which they should perform at work place to develop a healthy
relationship at work place (Hussain, 2011). The activity performed by the employees
should be in public interest without harming the image and reputation of the other
colleagues. The feeling of trust and confidence should be generated among the
working employees. The quality of the productive work from the employees can be
enhanced (Lang, Macfadyen, Slade, Prinsloo, and Sclater, 2013).
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
3. Discussion
During the course plan of analysing and prioritizing the ethical behaviour of the
employees at work place helps in initializing ethical behaviour in me. I have learned
ethical tactics which should be performed at work place to develop good and healthy
relationship with the colleagues. I have learnt that the activities which are performed
at the work place should be in public interest. Loyalty and honesty should be followed
with the colleagues to avoid social and professional issues. The integrity with the
working principles of the organization helps in minimizing the professional risks
which are associated with the organization.
4. Conclusion
It is concluded that the professional and the legal issues in the working culture of the
enterprise should be given preference. The fair treatment should b e conducted with
the working employees which helps in increasing the capabilities of the employees
which in turn increases the productivity of the enterprise. The training and
development program should be arranged for guiding ethical code of conduct which
should be followed by the working employees at work place.
5. References:
Alhabshi, S. (2013). The role of ethics in towering personality development. 1st ed.
Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/6213053/Role-of-Ethics-in-
Towering-Personality-Development
Australian institute of training and development. (2014). Code of ethics and
professional practice. 1st ed. Retrieved from
file:///C:/Users/acer/Downloads/CODE+OF+ETHICS+AND+PROFESSION
AL+PRACTICE.pdf
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Professional Issues Assignment Analysis
Baines, J. and Taylor, N. (2013). Principles for ethical research involving humans. 1st
ed. Retrieved from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14615517.2013.850307
Gilman, S. (2013). Ethics code and code of conduct as tools for promoting an ethical
and professional public service. 1st ed. Retrieved from
https://www.oecd.org/mena/governance/35521418.pdf
Giorgini, V, Mecca. J., Gibson, C., Medeiros, K., Mumford, M., Connelly, S, and
Devenport, L. (2015). Researchers perception in ethical guidelines and codes
of conduct. 1st ed. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4313573/
Hussain, T. (2011). Are ethical and moral values are important for personality
development. 1st ed. Retrieved from
http://www.indiastudychannel.com/forum/75702-Are-ethical-moral-values-
important-for.aspx
Lang, C., Macfadyen, L., Slade, S., Prinsloo, P., and Sclater, N. (2013). The
complexities of developing a personal code of ethics for learning analytics
practitioners. 1st ed. Retrieved from http://oro.open.ac.uk/53751/7/Slade.pdf
Leonard, K. (2018). Workplace values and ethics. 1st ed. Retrieved from
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/workplace-values-ethics-4887.html
Singh, C. (2015). Importance of morals and ethics and values speech in our lives. 1st
ed. Retrieved from https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/importance-of-moral-
ethics-values-in-our-lives
Tuffley, D. (2015). The ethical technologist. 1st ed.
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